Go into 2012 Shouting and Praising your Way In!

I woke up this morning with the word “to go into 2012 shouting and praising my way in”. My pastor, special music, and visiting missionary confirmed this.

Let’s remember to give God the glory a head time and to give our best praise day-in and day-out as we press forward. That’s right! I’m not rolling in, drudging my way in, or sauntering my way in; I am going in full-speed ahead. I am going to embrace the new, whatever that is, and continue to praise God as I enjoy the journey. Now is a good a time as any to begin to ask God to speak to you about the new year ahead…… What does He have in store for you? Is this the year that you will embrace going deeper in Him, or will this be a year that you continue to pour into your agendas and incentives? These are tough questions. He got me thinking this morning about a lot of things!

As we get older, we tend to view the start of a New Year as a time when one retrospectively assesses their progress. I am not talking about New Year’s resolutions. I am talking about taking into account what God has put into our hands and told us what to do or NOT to do. It’s time to recommit and reconnect. For some, it’s a time to get back to the basics and to renew the commitment to the call that God has placed on us. No one decides they are going to ease back on reading the Bible. In fact, I have known many inveterate people to slip away. The answer is to recommit!

If our foundation is right, we can handle whatever comes our way, whether joyful celebrations or gale winds; thus, serving Him anyway and giving Him praise in the good and bad times. No matter what, I am pressing forward. I aspire to be more of a blessing to those around me. I am considering my priorities and what needs to be changed. I am turning my heart toward home. This home is heaven. The cares of this world can bring us down, but when we remember to sharpen our focus, we get back on track!

As we mature, we find God urging us to give up childish things or things we can do without. As we learn to surrender them, we become more like Christ. This in turn creates a positive cycle. The more we are more like Christ, the more people we will reach for Christ because of His light shining in and through us. Then they become like Christ and the cycle continues. On the other hand, when Christ is not the focal point, the cycle goes the other way. Think of it this way: You are what you eat. That is what you watch on TV, what you do online, what you read, where you go with friends, etc. What do you feed your body, mind, soul, and spirit? Does your spirit and soul crave to be with God, someone, or something else? What are you emulating for others? Does your life point others to Christ or towards stumbling blocks?

So there is much to ponder, but I am adamant to go into 2012 thanking, praising, and embracing all that He has for me. The word is change! What about you? Take some time and do a personal inventory. Praising God is more than what we do in church on Sunday. It’s an attitude of gratitude, but also one of consideration of what God has in store for us. It’s living a lifestyle of worship! It’s what we do day-in and day-out as we walk with God.

New Song Series #7: A Winning Combination

God desires for us to worship Him in spirit and truth. No matter what is stirring in the natural, He is seeking for us to know that we are complete in Him despite how we might feel. We have to get beyond these feelings and get the hands on the truth. What does the Word say about God, about you, and about me? What is the truth? How do the two become one?

The heart, mind, and life of the worshiper should be consistent with no incongruities. God is looking for a people who worship the Lord at all times and not just in the congregation. I see this as someone who is transparent. The word tells us to bless the Lord at all times and that His praises shall be continually in our mouths. That’s a tall order of fries, but if we are attuned to the heavenly father and not so much being drawn by our earthly surroundings and circumstances, we are able to soar with Christ and enter into this worship. We are more likely to be singular minded and not double-minded. The Bible tells us that at a double-minded man is unstable in all of his ways. I venture to say that a person who is double-hearted is just as unstable. The Bible tells us to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength. God is looking for devoted Christians who live their lives to glorify Christ.

God is looking for a people whose heart and mind are one with His. They live a lifestyle of true worship. This is the sign of someone who sings the new song. Every day they have fresh manna from heaven. They thank God for it and revel in His completeness all day long. They go beyond feeling and believe the truth. This frees them to worship God. The two are the winning combination that God is looking for in His people. He wants an undivided truthful heart that worships Him in His presence.

John 4:23-24 (NIV)
23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

New Song Series #6: The Goal and Purpose of Picking and Singing New Songs

What is the goal of introducing new songs? Is there thought that needs to go into it before they are picked? Yes. Does this song meet a need for your congregation? Is there thought that should go into rearranging them for your congregation? Yes! Some of the new songs that come out on the radio have a lot of cool parts that may be hard for some novice musicians to play, as well as too hard for the people to sing along. They may need to be adjusted to fit your congregation. There is nothing wrong with making a song your own or making it more playable and singable by making it your own.

Musicians need to be able to enter into the presence of God just like the singers and the congregation. If they are so caught up in concentrating on the technical parts of it the entire time, they might grow weary and or not enter in at all. Likewise, the worship team needs to feel ready and comfortable. Yes, a lot of practice goes into things behind the scenes, but we also need to make adjustments to fit personal needs so we can enter in. Music Directors may change the melody line to fit the vocal range of their group or have everyone sing a line in unison because it makes what is being sung feel stronger. It might be just what the congregation needs. After all, our true purpose in leading worship is to serve the local church.

The goal is for the new song to be sung so that the people can enter in and feel the presence of God. If you are thinking about adding new songs, listen to the arrangement. Seek to arrange for simple chorus and versus. Bridges are good too, but often the radio songs are very tricky and leave people wondering when, where, and how to sing. Sometimes we lose people when we go off and do some cool part. If we do that, we have missed the purpose of why we are there. We are not there to lead our people into the dust, but to let them come up to the high mountain of God of with us.

Remember to lay your pride down. What is best for the people? If the intro drags and the congregation does not respond, cut it and change it. What if you can’t play the intro like they do on the CD? Can you put your pride aside and adjust it for the people? That would be better than just cutting the song, a song that you picked because your people needed to hear and sing the lyrics to be encouraged and led closer to God. Do you sing songs because they are your favorites and you pick them without considering the needs of your congregation, then you need to pray about this too.

Sometimes we think the elaborate is what the people want, but often they want to be able to feel apart and join in like a camp fire sing along. When we all get together and sing and praise in unity, mighty things happen!

New Song Series #5- Out with the Old and in with the New

I invite the presence of the Lord to fill our homes, our rooms, our hearts, our minds, and our souls with new life. Will you join me? For some, this will be a difficult entry to read and frightening ground to consider. Our flesh resists the moving of God, and if God is moving, He is moving on our behalf. Our feet have to be willing to go, or we will be stuck. This means letting go of things, stuff, positions, etc.

We have to want the new and allow the Lord to move out the old. I was helping a friend move today. She had a bed that was over 20 years old. She was holding on to it and did not want to sell it, though she had no place to store it. It represented the “thing, things, and or her old life” she had and could hold on to. It represented her past, which was broken like so many of us who are reading this.

When we are in between the old and new, we can sense what is familiar to us and stay in a pattern of limbo or worse yet, stay stuck in the past. But folks, when I looked at the furniture, it was in terrible shape. It was beyond repair and time to give it away or sell it. This was a revelation to me. Often when we are stuck in the old, we don’t know we are stuck, but people on the outside can see we are stuck. This is what I saw today. I could see as an outsider the true condition of the bed and bedroom set. This is what we need. God can provide this spiritual vision or people who are close to us can call a situation for what it is. Even my husband told her to let it go. Letting go of this object is a big step of faith. I believe that she is getting a new life and second chance. I ask God to give you revelation right now. If you want to move on in God, you have to have the new song. Out with the old and in with new, I say!

If this is what your life looks like, you need to let it all go and ask the Lord to give you a new song, a new life. Again, I invite the presence of the Lord to fill our homes, our rooms, our hearts, our minds, and our souls with new life. Will you join me? For some, this will be a difficult and frightening to consider. Our flesh resists the moving of God, and if God is moving, He is moving on our behalf. Our feet have to be willing to go, or we will be stuck. This means letting go of things, stuff, positions, etc. It's time!

New Song Series #4: Come Prepared; Come Expecting!

This week as I was walking off the platform, I heard the words “come expecting; come prepared” dropped into my spirit. I stopped at the nearest seat and jotted down those words. I ran to the restroom, imbibed, and reflected on these nuggets. Then I returned to my seat, jotted down a few more things, and settled into Pastor Keith’s message. Here is what transpired between the restroom and tuning into Pastor Keith’s message. When I fled to the restroom and took the opportunity to listen to the flood God was pouring in me, there were two major areas of this download from heaven: preparation and expectation.

In the area of preparation, God was reminding me that if I want the new song and the fresh move of God, I have to be prepared before I lead the congregation into the high mountain of praise. I am NOT talking about making sure one knows how to sing, play, and for the leader’s sake, lead the songs, but it is much more than that. These are the obvious! But are you behind the scenes asking God to move in a fresh way throughout the week and yes, right up until service starts? Is this just for the leader or the entire team? He is looking for more dedication and abandonment from all of His ministers. I told the Lord I am “all in” and ready to go to the next level. This means I have to give myself to more prayer. I have to be fresh too. This means that I have to deal with the bad stuff that creeps in, and I have to surrender my heart to Him. The closer I get to God; the closer I believe the people will get to God. After all, my ministry unto the Lord is an overflow and out pouring of what he is already doing.

Regarding expectation, the Lord told me to expect to see Him move. Expect healings and deliverances. Pray and ask God ahead of time for these things, to look for them when I am leading, and to expect them to manifest. Expect His presence to fall. Expect Him to meet his people a fresh. Expect to hear the new song breaking out! Expect to hear new and vibrant praise!

So, again the key is fresh oil from heaven. Prepared and pray for that oil and believe that He will pour it out on His house and on His people. Expect it! If you don’t prepare, one cannot truly expect. There are no short cuts. God is looking for worship teams that are willing to expose their heart cries to Jesus in the public; however, this would be a result of what was done in the secret with Jesus that week. Are you ready to seek God, prepare for his out pouring, and expect Him to move? If so, commit yourself to seeking, praying, Reading His word, praising, and worshiping Him more. Give Him all of yourself. Let heaven touch earth.

New Song #4: The Burden

Lately I feel that the Lord has been sharing a burden with me. It's rather large; I feel puny and unable to initiate it. Nevertheless, I have begun to thirst for His refreshing waters; I see that I can only be obedient with what He has put in my hand.

Our land, America, is barren and hurting. They need a healer and one who can send them joy in the midst of trouble. I worry because I see less people in churches. There are so many lost. Are the people of God really in touch with God? If they were, wouldn't others be flooding the houses of God? Are they being obedient to taking His word to the highways and byways. How else will they hear this new song?

For the first time, I see this new song as more than just a new worship song. It's like a revelation or remma word that goes out of the house, car, or wherever He touches you with it. These life changing words can breath new life. It's like God changing your tune. Two weeks ago I prophesied in church that God was going to give us a new song; He was going to change our tune. He was going to do it. I am waiting to see this come to pass. When I am leading worship, I look out beyond what I see in the natural; I hope for hearts, hands, and lives connected to Jesus getting a needed download, but also just spending time with God, while letting the stream of rushing waters come to refresh our souls.

It makes me wonder how He is going to make it all happen, though an old pastor of mine prophesied over me twenty years ago that I was not called to figure things out, I still try! I think He is going to use me and you, as well as many others. Those who are sensitive to the call. He wants exuberant worship to break out all of over the United States. I know He is about to do a new thing, and I want to be on the forefront at Gulf Coast Assembly of God in North Port, Fl. It's not about breaking out and being famous at all; instead, it's about being an effective, pliable, and useful tool in the King's hand. From there, may God develop a greater passion and desire to worship and sit at His feet. If we were having these types of rich divine experiences, we would be going out and telling others about what happened. How amazing God's presence was at church, in my car, and at the doctor's office.

I also long for a time when there are no hindrances in worship. When we sin and fall short, we tend to put up a wall towards God, though He forgives us every time. This is one of the reasons that people are not as connected during worship. Sometimes it looks like a glaze is over people; they look and are unengaged in the worship. Instead, I'd like to see more people gather at the front and worship and praise. I'd like to see more people kneeling at their seat as God falls on them, though there are others standing and singing. If they feel led to dance, sing, and or whatever appropriate way they want to express their love for God, they are WILLING and able to do it. So, I am excited because our pastor is very open and has been praying that the Holy Spirit comes and touches us. This is my prayer as I prepare to lead worship tomorrow. Lord, come and meet us. Touch us! Please breath new life, new worship, and a new passion in us for You, Lord. Out of this desire, new songs will come. It's a rather complicated thing, but one can see that the principles are interrelated.

New Song Series #3

Psalm 40:3He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the LORD and put their trust in him.

Okay. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this out. One can glean some basic and common concepts from the words: new song. One, the word "new" means that it is fresh and not old. This means that others will be writing these new songs. These songs should be centered around God. The new song comes from God. It is His song that he births in us. He can also birth a song during worship, at a prayer meeting, a youth group service, or wherever. The key is that we should be looking for the fresh and the new, while listening to the heart of God whisper these fresh new lyrics. Don't get me wrong. Old hymns and songs are good. They represent what God has seen us through; they build or faith too. We should also sing songs that our congregation can join in with. However, we must never forget that we also need to be willing and obedient to usher in the new song. We do not want to grieve the Holy Spirit. We want to allow the spirit of God to move freely.

Think of the love and excitement that a new puppy brings to a household. Suddenly everything is going to be ok. Everything is focused around the new puppy. In the House of God, new songs signify what God is doing. They are prophetic and life changing in nature. It's time to to usher in the new song!

New Song Series #2-Five Morsels Associated with the New Song

Psalm 149 1 Praise the LORD.[a]
"Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of his faithful people." NIV

I have been intrigued by the words “new song” found in the book of Psalms for a very long time. I have been researching these words, but also praying for God to reveal to me what this new song is. I have believed the new song to be a song of praise that comes when you come through a battle or when the Lord gives you a strong song of praise in your mouth that is new. It’s not an ordinary song of praise, but it’s personal, fresh, and radical. I wrote about this a bit last week when I remarked on the sound of praise I heard at a women’s meeting where I recently spoke. This was a corporate sound of praise that was bold, fervent, effective, and mighty.

However, this week I was reading an article from Worship Leader Magazine: Sing to the Lord a New Song- JAN/FEB 2011 entitled “The Song of the Redeemed”. I began to receive vivid insight about this new song, as well as the role of the worship leader in today’s world (pgs. 30-37). It lines up with some of the things I always thought, but there were new morsels to savor.

1. The new song is being born out of congregations who engage in prophetic praise and worship. The do not all have a set song list. Some have no song lists at all. Some reserve time to flow in lyrical worship between songs and allow the Holy Spirit to sing through them.
2. Worship leaders, not just the front person, are called to write songs and seek God for new songs for their church.
3. Worship leaders are to bring new and fresh songs that will inspire their congregations to worship.
4. Worship leaders are the key to the spirit of God breaking out in the house of God. It’s their passion for God that inspires those to worship. People are looking for real worship and meaningful church. This movement will flood our churches with people who are hungry to hear God’s word.
5. A worship community must be living!

These five morsels are enlightening and overwhelming. Yet, they also remind us that the call that is upon us to inspire others to worship is big. It comes by surrendering ourselves to it. I don’t have to worry about how this new song will come out. I know He is going to do it. I see new songs coming from our team. I see prophetic songs coming out in worship. I’m ready Lord!

Psalm 33:3

Psalm 40:3

Psalm 149:11

New Song #1- Praise Creates a Stronghold Against Satan

Psalms 8:2 says that "through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. NIV" When I read this scripture I felt like the heavens opened and revelation fell like fresh manna from my heavenly father.

I got new revelation when I read that scripture. You mean to tell me that when we praise, we create a stronghold that silences our enemy I thought to myself. Maybe you read this scripture before and saw it. Maybe you read this scripture before and never saw it. Nevertheless, it was new to me and gave me yet another reason to praise and worship God.

I believe I heard this praise through God's children this past Tuesday night at Community Life Center where I spoke to a women's group. It went on and on, and it was powerful. It was radical. There was a sense of abadonment in it. It was thick, deep, and wide. There were several times in that night when we broke out in it.

God had given me an image of women praising with their hands up the night before as I was preparing to speak. I heard a loud crazy like praise coming out of her mouth!
Little children look at things simply; we can look at praise the same way. It is clear to me that I silence the enemy when I praise. It's not a wimply half-hearted praise; it's raw and radical praise.

What about you? Are you up for it? I hope that this short article has lifted the covers off your face and given you another reason to press in and praise and worship! It has myself.

A Never Ending Supply

This past Sunday the Lord was speaking to me during worship. He told me that "His presence was a never ending supply", amongst other things. It's was raining rain buckets, as it does every Sunday at our church, but who was wearing a raincoat and why? All we have to do is enter in, take of the raincoat, and soak in the life of God that drenches us from His throne, but our trivial thoughts and difficult trials of life keep us from entering in. "It’s a choice", He reminded me!

I thought about what He spoke, and I looked out into the congregation. I could see that some entered in and some did not from my natural eye. Then I remembered that I cannot see what is happening in the heart. Couldn't someone woman have her hands lifted high and be singing a song but still be planning the next ladies event? Could someone who closes their eyes and has no outward appearance of entering in be connected to the King in worship? The answer is yes to both of these questions. So, I stopped looking out and felt that the Lord was grieved, but I continued to attempt to help bring the people up to the high mountain of praise.

Sometimes we get caught up in the routine of worship and we are not present with Christ totally. Again, this is our choice, but this grieves the heart of God we do not give ourselves entirely to the king. It would be like me withholding myself from my husband on our honeymoon night; he would be hurt, devastated, and angry like a salty underdone mixture of black beans wrapped up in one big bad spoiled flour tortilla! Let’s remember that when we come into His presence, we need to purposeful and focused; after all, He wants us to lavish Him with our love, which is our heartfelt worship.

God also is grieved when we withhold our joy and do not lift our hands and clap as we are commanded. Yet, He would rather us give these praise offerings to Him freely and cheerfully. We also can read about David and know that he shouted, danced, and sang in God’s presence. I am sure this was a freeing experience for David. FYI, you can do all of this in the privacy of your own home; however, the point is that God inhabits the praises of His people. So, if you want to meet Him, you have to extend some genuine praise to our Lord and King wherever you are.

Like I said, this past Sunday the Lord was speaking to me during worship. He told me that His presence was a never ending supply. All we have to do is enter in. That it is both our trivial thoughts and difficult trials of life that keep us from entering in. It’s a choice.

Here In Your Presence (with lyrics)

I love to worship God. When I go there, it is as if the earth melts and heaven kisses it. Before I know it, the two become one, and I am in Jesus’ arms. Amazing things happen when you come into God’s presence. You don’t have to be in a church service for him to rain down on you. You forget about it all: the junk, the turmoil, the health ailments, pride, fear, and whatever else that keeps us from soaring with Him. I heard Him say, “Come fly away with me” during worship.” He is that real!

I also think about the Lord’s Prayer when it says, “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10 NKJV). I understand this to mean that I do not have to wait until I die to do or see His will. It says, “On earth as it is in heaven.” This also means that His will is existing in both places. It’s just like when we worship God; we are worshiping in two realms. It’s pretty awesome that we can do that.

But what rocks the most is that He meets us there every time! He never turns us away. That is why I love to run there and worship Jesus. I love to worship Jesus. How about you?

Click on the above song and get linked in! Let your world become like Kool-Aid where sugar and water mix. Taste and see that the Lord is good!

Taking a Seek-cation

Dear Readers,

I am taking a vacation with my husband, but will return in two weeks. I have no idea if I will have internet access via my laptop. My goals while I am gone are the following:

Jesus Time

Rest and relax

Walk the beach

Hubby time

Work on my book

Eat healthy

Read some books and His word

Pray

Listen to the CD: R.A.W (Revival, Alive, Within) by Steve Swanson

Brainstorming with Don on our new couples blog

I am a firm believer in pressing in and feeling refreshed in the Lord. It’s time like these when we are busy that I have to stop, get away, set myself apart, seek God, and listen to Him. So friends, though I am not too far away, we are far enough away where we can do just that.

Psalm 27:8 My heart says of you, “Seek his face!”
Your face, LORD, I will seek (NIVV).

Matthew 6:3 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you (NKVJ).

In Christ,

Ileana Reich

Addison Road - What Do I Know Of Holy w/Lyrics

Dear Readers,

I love this song because it reminds me of what I still don't know, what I assume to know, what I think I know, and how I need to draw even closer to Him to know and understand more. It reminds of what I forget and should be thankful for, as well as of who He is and how small I am, yet He created me and you to bring glory to His name. I'm sorry if it seems like I am writing in circles, but it is all relative. If we want to worship the Lord with our whole heart, we have to deal with our big heads.

When I hear this song, I am humbled and stand in awe. I knock myself off my high-horse and return to the place where I belong. If I ever thought I knew it all and or am always right, I am corrected. We all have our moments and arguments with others and God! Sometimes when we have walked with the Lord a while and gotten used to the Christian lifestyle, we forget where we came from. But I thank God for anointed songs sent to minister to us and get us back on track.

When I became saved, I wondered what do I know of holy, and here I am today back to that starting place: Lord, I do not know it all, and I am not always right. You know it all. You are always right. Show me your ways oh Lord and let my life be a gift of worship to you!

When we have been with the Father, we have dined at His table, and been in His presence, we become aware of who we are in relationship to Him. In the passage below, Isaiah is having a meeting place with God. He is overwhelmed with God. He quickly becomes aware of his human condition as He looks upon the Father. That is how I feel when I hear this song! It brings me to my knees and much closer to Him every time!

^{Isaiah 6:1-5 1} In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. ² Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. ³ And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.”⁴ At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.⁵ “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.” (Biblegateway.com NIV)

On the Winds of Real Worship: Counting the Cost

I am starting this blog because I want to share the whispers that God speaks to me when I am leading worship, worshiping at home, and or in my car etc. I also am writing because I believe that we are about to embark on a great revival in our land. As things continue to get worse, people are running to the house of God like never before. Worship is one of the keys to this revival.

I will also be sharing what God lays on my heart about concepts, themes, and topics that go with the main topic, which is worshiping the Lord with our whole heart and strength!

I believe that worship prepares the heart for the Word of God before it is preached as commonly known by many. However, the act of true worship takes a person straight into the throne room of God where we are changed, strengthened, refreshed, and restored.

I believe that this God inspired creative worship will be this "new song or sound" that many church leaders, worship leaders, and musicians having been declaring. Just last Sunday during a quiet moment in worship, I heard the Lord say to me, "Go where no man has gone before." I did No, I am NOT talking about Star-wars. I am talking about complete abandonment to God in your worship. A worship that cries out You are the living God; You are able! This new song or sound is one that will be His people declaring who He is. It will ignite a fire and faith in our spirits.

So, I soaked in what he said and got excited. I am reminded of how often God will speak through me and say. "Come up!" during worship. Two weeks ago, I spoke "This is a no baggage trip. Come up! Let it all go and worship me. Come up!"

As I pondered starting this blog and what I feel the Lord is speaking to me about my appointment in this hour, I was reminded that I needed to count the costs. I deleted my shows on my DVR and am giving myself to more reading, more prayer, and more Word.

Like I said, this heavenly sound is one of the important keys to revival. Please join my blog, be blessed as you read my weekly posts (hopefully), and enjoy!